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Video games
Since 1986, various companies have cashed in on the success of Wheel of Fortune by releasing video games for a variety of formats. Surprisingly, none of these adaptations have ever used the shopping format and are all based on the play-for-cash nighttime version. Vanna White has participated in the games since 1991, and Charlie O'Donnell handled announcing duties from 1998-2010 with Jim Thornton filling the role afterward. Pat Sajak has participated very sporadically over the years. For the board game adaptations released since 1975, see Board games. (All games are called Wheel of Fortune and use the two-row logo, unless otherwise noted.) Sharedata (1986-88) The first video game version was released in 1986 on the MS-DOS, 1987 for the Commodore 64, and January 1988 for the Apple II; Second Edition and Third Edition were released on at least MS-DOS in 1987 and 1988 respectively, and all use the $1,000-$1,000-$5,000 top dollar configurations for the main game (and the templates of that era) as well as the five consonants/one vowel format in the Bonus Round. The available Bonus Round prizes are an $8,000 luxury bedroom set, a $13,500 American sports car ($10,500 on DOS), a $9,750 17' fishing boat (18' catamaran on the Apple II version), and an $11,200 dream vacation. On the Commodore 64 version, the Bonus Round prizes are very generic and consist of an $11,050 car, a $10,000 boat, and a $12,000 vacation. The solve cues for the MS-DOS and the Commodore 64 are a loop of the first few bars of John Phillip Sousa's "Stars & Stripes Forever", while the Apple II uses a rendition of the solve cue used on the show at the time. First Edition has two different covers: the original has the puzzle board with title and Wheel with 1986 Round 1 template but not hooked up to its flippers; the second has the Wheel with flippers and the title shown in puzzle board form as seen on the previous artwork. Second Edition and Third Edition each have a zoomed-in shot of the puzzle board with title. The original First Edition release promoted a sweepstakes ending that New Year's Eve, in which winners received a trip to Hollywood to see the show plus a $2,000 shopping spree on Rodeo Drive. GameTek (1987-97) Easily the most recognizable producer of Wheel titles. While mostly releasing game show titles (most of which were Wheel and Jeopardy!), GameTek attempted to branch out into other genres to little success. The company closed its doors for good in July 1998. Unless otherwise noted, all games have artwork of the puzzle board with WHEEL OF FORTUNE on it plus half of the 1986 Round 3/1987 Round 4 Wheel template. PC/Mac (1987, 1989, 1994, 1996) The company released Junior Edition (1987), Golden Edition (1989), Wheel of Fortune featuring Vanna White (1991), Deluxe Edition featuring Vanna White (1994), and Deluxe Edition for Windows '95 (1996). In 1990, the Sharedata games were reissued as a box set. For Golden Edition, the luxury bedroom set is replaced with a diamond bracelet, the dream vacation is replaced with a dream cruise, and the sports car is labeled as a Luxury Sports Car rather than an American Sports Car. For Junior Edition, the luxury bedroom set is replaced with 20 lbs. of POT (cash, in order to keep the game kid-friendly). Interestingly, the back of the 1994 game's Windows release has a digitized screenshot heavily resembling the January 1991 NBC daytime opening, albeit with the Season 10 backdrops. It is believed to be a shot from the concurrent MS-DOS version. NES (1988-90, 1992) Rare designed the first three releases for the Nintendo Entertainment System in September 1988, October 1989 (Junior Edition), and March 1990 (Family Edition). Puzzles and prizes on Junior and Family are appropriate, while both retain the five-and-a-vowel Bonus Round. Further, Family omits "Changing Keys" and always spells out AND in Same Name. Also, some Same Name puzzles have three names instead of two. The first three games use the same engine: three rounds are played with a single Wheel template (most likely based on 1986 Round 1; top value is $1,000), with Round 3 beginning in Speed-Up. Bankrupt is seen as "B00", Lose A Turn as "M00" (for Miss A Turn), and Free Spin as "+00". There are several oddities about Rare's versions: * The original game (as well as the original Jeopardy!) has a pair of unused Coca-Cola logos among the sprites, as Merv Griffin Enterprises was owned by Coca-Cola during the game's development in 1987. * The Junior Edition box art shows a layout with two Lose A Turn wedges and two $550s (one being the customary purple, the other being green). * All three instruction manuals state that hitting Miss A Turn causes that player to lose their next turn as well, a penalty which does not actually occur in any game. * If a player has less than $250 when there are only vowels in the puzzle, that player is out of the round. If all three players have less than $250 with only vowels left, the puzzle is discarded and the round is restarted. * A Wheel reference is in Rare's 1988 NES game Taboo: The Sixth Sense – each card type has its own music if drawn, and "The Wheel of Fortune" uses a few seconds of "Changing Keys". Wheel of Fortune featuring Vanna White, developed by IJE (also responsible for Talking Super Jeopardy!), was released in January 1992 and uses a new set of graphics, music, and sound effects. It is also the first Wheel game to let the player choose an avatar, the first to use the three-and-a-vowel Bonus Round, and the first to use the W-H-E-E-L envelopes. Arcade (1988) A video redemption game was released in July 1988, with a single Wheel template (most likely based on 1986 Round 1, with values in $100 increments; top dollar is $900). Players are given a set number of "misses" before gameplay ends, but can receive an extra turn by hitting certain scores and solving puzzles (which also award a $10,000 bonus). There is no Free Spin, Speed-Up, or Bonus Round, but the Vanna look-alike switches color dresses and shoes in each round (red in odd-numbered rounds, blue in even-numbered ones). This was the first version to let the player physically spin the Wheel, by way of an encoder wheel also used to select letters and game options. The bezel, marquee, and side artwork all show the entire 1986 Round 3/1987 Round 4 template and puzzle board with title. A tabletop version was also released. Game Boy (1990) Released in September 1990 and apparently based on Pressman's Junior Edition board game: the Wheel has values in multiples of $100, with a top value of $1,000 in Rounds 1-2 (Round 3, the Speed-Up, has $5,000). The Bonus Round, still using the five-and-a-vowel rule, is played for $25,000, a boat, a cruise, a trip, or a car. SNES (1992, 1994) Two versions were released in September 1992 and April 1994 (Deluxe Edition) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, based on the W-H-E-E-L format first used in September 1989. Deluxe Edition uses the 1992 set and a permanent Speed-Up as Round 5, although the full Wheel shot is replaced by a simple animation. Strangely, vowels award money in the Speed-Up. Sega Genesis (1992) The Genesis version was a simultaneous release with the SNES one. Barring some minor audiovisual differences due to the respective console limitations, they are exactly the same. Game Gear (1992) A unique version for Sega's portable system, with a futuristic atmosphere; while the full set is never seen, a fan took the various elements and made this approximation. This Wheel has just 16 spaces and 12 unique values, with top values of $900/$2,500/$5,000. One major problem with this version is that Free Spins are sometimes placed on Lose A Turn or Bankrupt, which only results in the penalty. Nintendo 64 (1997) By 1997, GameTek was rapidly losing money and had no choice but to file for bankruptcy; their final Wheel game was released on December 2 of that year. It is the first version to use the $10,000 Wedge, Jackpot Round, and touch-screen puzzle board; it is also the last to use the multi-template Wheel. This version has some oddities, possibly a result of the company's financial problems: * The Surprise wedge is not used, despite being seen in the instruction booklet. * If a player tries to buy a vowel with less than $250, s/he automatically loses their turn. * Free Spin is only present in Round 3. Also, the orange $400 is teal, likely to avoid two wedges of the same color (as seen on the photo on the back of the box and in the instruction booklet). * If the $10,000 Wedge is hit in the Jackpot Round, $10,000 is added to the Jackpot whether the wedge is claimed or not; if hit in the Speed-Up Round, the Wheel must be spun again. * The Bonus Round is played for $25,000, and the player has 20 seconds to solve the puzzle. If won, there is a flashing "$25,000" graphic accompanied by the Jackpot win fireworks. However, if the front game winner is a computer player, no Bonus Round is played, and the game ends. The intro is styled like the ones used in Seasons 12-14, and the graphic used is the Round 1 template with a gold $10,000 wedge replacing the sparkly-green $1,000. The studio portion of the intro is similar to that of Season 14, and uses the Round 1 template in the game itself in the circular concrete center. The box art uses the then-new puzzle board with title, Vanna, and the barely-seen Wheel with 1996 Round 1 template in the background. The set is from New York week (May 26-30), as shown on the video wall behind Vanna, suggesting the game was in development at that time. The box's back and sides use the 1994 version of the two-row logo (i.e., the U's bottom is flat, and the "O" in "of" is normal-looking instead of the traditional Wheel shape), with the same artwork as the front. Mattel (1988) An electronic handheld game allowing players to play puzzles from the unit, or receive "invisible signals" from the TV show and play along with those puzzles (a March 1988 Variety article states that the interactive element would debut that Fall). The box contains the unit and a booklet with 240 puzzles, 40 of which are for younger players. Two numbered VHS tapes, sold separately, contain another 90 puzzles each. The back of the box shows the partially-filled puzzle IN THE IMMORTAL WORDS OF (Phrase); as it appears on both the picture demonstrating the play-along aspect and that demonstrating the tapes, it is not certain whether the puzzle was actually used. The Mattel game was promoted in the replacement fee plugs in mid-1988, after Jack Clark became too ill to do them. This plug, the box itself, and a sticker on the back of the unit state that only the nighttime show is compatible; the box and unit specifically mention August 31, 1988 through "at least" September 1, 1990, which would mean that Seasons 5-7 were compatible. Owners of the device have reported that it still worked on GSN reruns of Season 6. Lazer-Tron (1992) A unique ticket-redemption game called Spin to Win which was not licensed, but clearly influenced: the player rolls three balls, one at a time, down into one of seven slots which determine the Wheel's movement (normally Bankrupt, 1 Slot Right, 3 Slots Left, No Spin, 3 Slots Right, 1 Slot Left, and Full Spin). The 15-wedge Wheel has values ranging from 1-15 (sometimes 20) tickets along with two Bankrupts, Lose A Ball, Double Ticket Bank, and Bonus Jackpot. The jackpot is awarded by landing on Bonus Jackpot for the third turn, then landing on it again at the end of the following free game. Sony Imagesoft (1994) Released a version for the Sega CD in April 1994, with a PC version following in June. The Sega CD version uses full-motion video and high-quality audio of the 1989 music package (hence the copies that circulate today) with the 1992 intro and set. The PC version uses the 1992 music with Season 11 intro and 1994 set. Despite it taking over production in the fall of that same year, the copyright date acknowledges Columbia-TriStar Television. The Sega CD version is the second to use Prize wedges (after the Vanna White edition for MS-DOS in 1991) but the first console adaption to have the Surprise wedge: a trip is added in Round 2, followed by jewelry in Round 4; Surprise is present throughout (and oddly, its letter outlines are yellow in Round 1 and red in subsequent rounds). Also, there are no warnings as to when all the vowels in the puzzle have been chosen. The Bonus Round is played much like on the show, with five envelopes that decrease if the bonus puzzle is solved. The PC version had no prize wedges whatsoever. $2,500 is pink (as seen on the artwork) instead of blue, while $3,500 is red instead of magenta. The Free Spin is seen on the red $200 in Round 1, only to be moved to the orange $200 next to the pink $2,500 in Round 2. The Bonus Round is only played when a human player wins the game, but instead of choosing envelopes, the player plays for $25,000. Also, all dollar values are announced by video of Vanna with the exception of $350, possibly due to memory limits; whether or not this is the case, it nonetheless partially continues the trend of $350 being ignored in home game versions of the time. Even so, $350 is still mentioned by audio of Vanna along with all of the other wedges in the Sega CD version when landed on. The artwork on both versions feature Vanna in front of the blue contestant "interlocking W" backdrop, with the PC version also showing the Season 12 puzzle board. The logo is the traditional one with colors inside the "wedges". The back of the boxes consist of a red two-row logo, with each wedge in a triangular shape. Funhouse (1995) A non-video redemption game, this version involves lighting up the A, K, and O in JACKPOT by landing on a certain wedge of the 12-wedge Wheel. A light travels around the Wheel itself, and once a coin is inserted the light stops; the Wheel has values in tickets (2-12 by default, though values vary by arcade), a Bankrupt wedge awarding no tickets for that turn (previous winnings are not affected), and a "turn letter" wedge which reveals one of the missing letters and awards a large amount of tickets (50 by default). If JACKPOT is successfully filled in, the player wins an extra 100 tickets. The front of the machine has a photo of the "road show" puzzle board (though duplicated and meshed with one another to fit the width of the machine), a photo of the Wheel with Rounds 4+ template partially blurred as if spinning (taken from the cover of the 1992 Tyco board game), and the logo spelled out all in one row with dots between the words similar to the traditional logo. A Vanna look-alike is placed to the left of the "puzzle". The side artwork features the same logo spelled out in one row across a graphic of the "rug" template. Tiger Electronics (1995-2002) Tiger released four electronic handheld games, the second (1999), third (2000), and fourth (2001) being Deluxe Edition, Junior Edition, and Classic Edition, respectively. All four games had several expansion cartridges, and use a three-round format. If there are only two players and the computer player is Player 2, Player 1 starts Round 3. However, if the computer player has the most money after Round 3, no Bonus Round is played and the game ends. The Bonus Round on the 1995 and 1999 games uses the W-H-E-E-L format, but the pointer randomly chooses one of the spaces on the Wheel, and the prize is 10 times the amount the pointer is on. If the "E" is chosen, the unit will randomly choose one of the two. In addition, when choosing the three consonants and one vowel, consonants must be typed in first before the vowel, as typing the vowel automatically enables the Solve mode and the player can no longer refer back to the category. In both cases, the player has 40 seconds to solve the puzzle. Original Edition The 1995-96 game uses a 12-space Wheel with the following layout: $100-Bankrupt-$750-$2,500-$400-$500-Lose A Turn-$600-$5,000-$250-Free Spin-$300, with $2,500 activated in Round 2 and $5,000 in Round 3. Free Spin is available in all rounds, however it is inactive on the Wheel until used, which must be done immediately after calling an incorrect letter, missolving the puzzle, or hitting Bankrupt or Lose A Turn (the latter two rarely occur while a player has a Free Spin). If the player solves the puzzle while still holding a Free Spin, it does not carry over into the next round and has to be re-earned. If a puzzle is solved with less than $250, the player's score is upgraded to that "house minimum". If a puzzle only has vowels remaining and the player tries to spin, a buzzer will sound and the Wheel will not spin. The QWERTY keyboard is color-coded to differentiate the letters, with consonants in purple and vowels in blue. The artwork on the packaging includes a logo similar to that of Seasons 12-14, but with the Wheel-shaped O on the logo, and Bankrupt, a purple Lose A Turn, and a green Free Spin on the Wheel graphic itself, all against a photo of an unrevealed road show puzzle board beneath a starfield background. The graphic for the expansion cartridges use Lose A Turn in its traditional yellow color. The game was marketed on the backs of specially-marked boxes of Kellogg's Corn Flakes, which also had a mini-game which contained Corn Flakes-related puzzles that could be solved using a letter-by-number code to help out. In addition, a TV campaign was marketed featuring kids frustrated with their parents' constant playing of the game. The game was marketed again in 1996 with the copyright date shown as such, and the packaging updated to move the logo over to cover all the concealed letters in the top row (leaving only the second and third rows visible), and "Over 400 Puzzles in 11 Categories" (as shown on the instruction booklet) instead of "Over 400 Puzzles in 9 Categories". Game.com When Tiger attempted to enter the portable video game market with the Game.com, two versions of Wheel were released in 1997 and 1998; both contain 750 puzzles and are controlled by the touch screen, with the 1998 game called Wheel of Fortune 2. Slot Machine Game Following the Game.com's failure, Tiger released an electronic handheld game based on the Wheel slot machines. This version has a Super Jackpot which begins at $5,000 and increases by $1-$3 depending on the player's bet; the Jackpot is won by either landing on the Super Jackpot wedge or getting three Wheel symbols on the payout line with a $3 bet. The Wheel is spun when a SPIN symbol hits the payout line, offering an easy way to win the Super Jackpot or some value between $20 and $1,000. Deluxe Edition The Deluxe Edition game (1999) has the 1998 template and some special spaces: Free Spin, active in Rounds 1 and 2, is awarded the same way as the 1995 game and like before cannot be carried over to the next round and has to be re-earned. Cash Bonus, active in Rounds 2 and 3, awards a bonus anywhere from $500-$3,000 in $500 increments if a correct consonant is chosen. Once hit, it became inactive for the rest of the round. Jackpot, active in Round 3 only, awards $20,000 to the player's score if a correct consonant is called; this is a flat-rate cash prize, regardless of how many of that consonant appears and regardless of how many times it's landed on during the round. One of the two Bankrupts is active throughout with the second being added in round 2. $1,000 is active only in Round 1. $2,500 and $10,000 are active only in round 2. The $10,000 space is available until a correct letter is called when landed on, but the value is multiplied by the number of letter occurrences. $3,500 and $5,000 are active only in round 3. There are three different "house minimum" scores should a player solve the puzzle with less than that: $250 in Round 1, $500 in Round 2, and $750 in Round 3. The only "bonus" categories are Fill-In-The-Blank and Where Are We?, both identical to the show. In addition, there is a small lever at the top that can slide to the right to "spin" the Wheel. Differences between the 1995 and 1999 games were the keyboard had all 26 letters of the alphabet in order instead of the QWERTY format, there was a Used Letter Board, and the puzzle board was much bigger. The package artwork of the game and expansion cartridges feature a colorful zoomed-up rendition of the 1998 Round 1 template, and the logos feature a capital O in "of" instead of the Wheel-shaped O or normal O in the 1994-97 logos. Classic Edition The rules for this 2001 game are identical to that of the Deluxe Edition with the following differences (instructions can be found here): ** Once all consonants in the puzzle have been revealed, the screen will display "ONLY VOWELS LEFT IN PUZZLE". Likewise, once all vowels in the puzzle have been revealed, the screen will display "NO VOWELS LEFT IN PUZZLE". ** In Rounds 1-2, if the player landing on Free Spin claims it, the screen displays "YOU WON A FREE SPIN". ** The $10,000 cash prize is active in Round 3 only, and once a player claims it, it is inactive for the rest of the round. ** The house minimum for each round is $500. ** In the event of a tie between two or more players at the end of Round 3, a Speed-Up Round similar to the show's will be played; however, $250 is still deducted when a player calls a vowel (thus allowing them to actually be "bought" in the Speed-Up). If a player attempts to solve and misses, play immediately moves to the next player. ** The Bonus Round is played similar to the show, and the prize is revealed at the end of the round, win or lose. All prizes are cash. ** The game is compatible with the cartridges from both the Original and Deluxe Edition games. In 2002, the company released Wheel of Fortune Crossword. Hasbro Interactive (1998-2001) Released two PC editions on September 30, 1998 and September 19, 2000 (a version for Macintosh computers was released in September 2001), plus two versions for the Sony Playstation on December 15, 1998 and October 18, 2000. The first edition has a blue background, while the second has a red background and includes a behind-the-scenes look at the show (which includes interviews with Vanna, Charlie, and Harry Friedman), and a sample contestant exam. These games were developed by Artech Entertainment, Ltd. The artwork on all versions feature Vanna gesturing towards the 1997 puzzle board with title and Wheel with 1996 Round 1 template, with the Wheel lacking its handles and also showing the top light layer of the new base. The intros of both games are similar to the TV counterparts during the seasons they were released, although the second versions' flyover to Sony Pictures Studios has photos of Vanna on the left and the logo on the right at the gate, which then opens and flashes to Vanna very audibly clapping before revealing the logo to open the game. Strangely, neither game uses the "only vowels remain" beeps or Final Spin chimes, replacing them with the Bonus Round "envelope select" ding and "bonus category" chimes respectively. In addition, these games use the Bankrupt slide whistle for both Bankrupt and Lose A Turn (plus if the bonus puzzle is not solved on the first Playstation version). All "bonus category" questions are multiple-choice of three, offering $2,000 in the first editions and $3,000 in the second. The 2000 games are the only ones to use the 1999 template, and even if the Free Spin is claimed in Round 1, another is placed on the Wheel for Round 2. In addition, the second Wheel Prize is used starting in Round 3. ICE (2000, 2005) In 2000, ICE released a redemption game similar to their popular Cyclone. This version, using the 1997 "Changing Keys", requires the player to stop the light on a blue bulb marked "Spin Zone"; if accomplished, the 20-space Wheel above is spun. A coin-pusher was released in 2005, where players drop their coins onto a lighted section (the light moves back and forth along seven sections) to light up the puzzle board at the top of the machine (WHEEL OF FORTUNE). Once the board is lit, the Wheel is spun for a bonus. Interestingly, this version uses the 1984 "Changing Keys" rather than the 2002 "Happy Wheels". Infogrammes (2002) Released Wheel of Fortune 2003 on October 28, 2002 for PC. As with the Hasbro versions, the games were developed by Artech Entertainment, Ltd. Atari (2003) Released a single version for the Playstation 2 on November 11, 2003, also with a sample contestant exam. Amusingly, it includes themed weeks (including Disco and Fast Cars) referred to in Charlie's intro as days (i.e., "It's Fast Cars Day on Wheel of Fortune!") Strangely, the Wheel includes the sequin-green $1,000 wedge despite it having been retired three years earlier. Jakks Pacific (2005, 2007) Released a controller in 2005 which plugs into a television and plays the game without the need of a console. The controller has a directional pad, A and B buttons (styled like puzzle board monitors displaying said letters), and a spinning Wheel with the 1999-2006 layout. The Wheel can be spun using either the Wheel on the controller, or by pressing B. It can also be used to scroll through letters when entering a player's name before a game, or selecting letters during a game. If a player fails to spin the Wheel at least one full rotation in two attempts, the turn is forfeited. The Wheel used in-game is based on the 1999-2006 layout, except Lose A Turn is displayed as "Lose Turn", the yellow-orange $500 is $550, and a variant of the traditional logo is in the center. In Round 1, a second regular-sized Bankrupt is used instead of the $10,000 Wedge. In the Jackpot Round (Round 2), the Jackpot increases by the amounts earned by players rather than the value of each spin. In the Mystery Round (introduced with the Prize Puzzle chimes), there is only one Mystery Wedge on the Wheel, though its prize is $15,000 in spendable cash. A "Gift Tag" (a blue circle labeled with a "P") and Free Spin (a dark green circle labeled with an "S") are available throughout the game, with a Prize wedge and second Free Spin added in Round 2. The Gift Tag and Free Spins are placed at random. Strangely, despite the controller using the $5,000 wedge, there is no Round 4. Aside from the $100,000, the cash prizes available in the Bonus Round range from $25,000-$90,000. The Speed-Up bells sound anytime a player runs low on time for choosing an option, spinning, guessing a letter, or solving. The Bonus Round timer is used when attempting to solve a puzzle. There are two different single-player modes: "Game Show" and "Endurance". The former limits the player to solving each puzzle without losing their turn a certain number of misses, identified as "turns" (4, 5, or 6, depending on the difficulty level), while the goal of the latter is to amass a high score by playing as many games as possible until running out of turns, which are not replenished at the start of a new round. Once the player runs out of turns, the puzzle solution is revealed with the chimes and the game ends. The player's score is the total accumulated from previous rounds up to that point. The game supports up to three players, with no option for AI opponents. Due to the limitations of having only one controller, Toss-Ups are not done. Instead, for multiplayer games, order of play is determined by spinning the Wheel, with the highest value starting Round 1. Each subsequent round is started by whoever won the previous round. The colors used to identify the second and third players are blue and yellow, respectively. In 2007, a second edition was released with a new controller unit. This version has the same design, though with a new color scheme and a few other minor differences, such as the removal of the directional pad. Instead, the player scrolls through options using the Wheel, which now spins both clockwise and counterclockwise. In the directional pad's place is a picture of the Free Spin and, despite not being in-game, the Wild Card. The second edition features slightly updated graphics. Palm trees are added behind the puzzle board and the Wheel border is updated from the gold/blue style (used on the show from 1997-2003) to the current neon style. The Free Spin is changed to a plain, green circle with no text. The Wheel layout is the same, with the exception of the removal of the second Free Spin and Gift Tag. Expansion packs featuring additional puzzles were planned for the first edition through Jakks Pacific's GameKey concept, a cartridge that could be inserted into a special slot in the controller, though never released. The GameKey slot was removed from the second edition's controller. The packaging of each shows the layout from 1999-2006, and the game itself uses the Season 24 logo and 2000-06 theme. Sony Online Entertainment (2005, 2007-09) Released Wheel of Fortune Deluxe for PC on December 30, 2005, followed by Wheel of Fortune 2 (an update of their 2003 online game) on June 1, 2007 and Wheel of Fortune Super Deluxe (a feature-identical update of Deluxe) on May 23, 2008. A version was released for the Playstation 3 on March 19, 2009; while being the first game to use the Million-Dollar Wedge and Season 26 rules, it has two major detriments: not only does it lack the Gift Tags, Prize wedges, Prize Puzzles and Speed-Up rounds (most likely because they weren't considered as necessary here as they were on the show), but a bug renders the Wild Card unusable unless the player buys a vowel that is in the puzzle. Stern Pinball (2007) A pinball game designed by Kevin O'Connor and Margaret Hudson was released in late 2007, featuring Pat and Charlie. Irwin (2009) Released two "talking" electronic versions: Deluxe Edition and Platinum Edition. Each feature a Wheel with the current color template, but with dollar signs only. When the Wheel is spun, the Seasons 24-26 template scrolls upwards on the screen (and with gradual movements of the Wheel, can stop anywhere the player wishes). Each game also has a QWERTY keyboard that can only be used with the included touchpen. As it follows the Season 26 rules, the Jackpot Wedge, Mystery Wedges, Wild Card, Prize wedge, Million-Dollar Wedge, Gift Tag, and Free Spin (shown as "Free Spin + $300" if the Wheel stops there) are present. When landed on, the dollar value underneath each "cardboard piece" is revealed on the display as the player chooses a letter. Irwin's games are the only electronic LCD games to use the opening chant and current sound effects (minus the puzzle-solve cue), and also use the first few notes of the 2000 theme. The graphics and logo on both the packaging and the games are from Season 24. Raw Thrills (2010, 2012) In Summer 2010, Raw Thrills, in association with Konami and Play Mechanix, released another Wheel redemption game for arcades. The motif is based on that of Season 27, with various music cues from the show and gameplay using photos from the actual set. The machine itself has a large, vertically-mounted Wheel displayed in front of where the player sits. Under the Wheel is a touch-sensitive monitor with a small "knob" underneath used for spinning the Wheel, similar to GameTek's arcade game. An optional feature is a stool the player sits on, which has a curved shape similar to a contestant podium from the show, and a blue cushion along the top in a fashion similar to the padded railing of the contestant area; the outer side of the stool bears the Season 27 logo. Sitting along the sides of the machine are two large cutouts of the basic Wheel template with the Season 27 logo over it, but with the top dollar value and penalty wedges replaced with cash wedges. A similar layout is printed on the "Spin" knob. The game has two modes: a regular mode and a "Double Play" mode (accompanied by a graphic similar to the Double Play token), which doubles the value of all spins and costs twice as much to play. After inserting the desired amount of credits, the player chooses a mode, and the game opens with a shortened Season 27 opening animation. The player is then greeted by an announcer. The puzzle and category are displayed. Depending on the number of letters in the puzzle, a few may already be revealed at this point. Punctuation is omitted, including from contractions, as was the case from 1975-78, and all Same Name puzzles spell out AND. The player spins by turning the "Spin" knob and will get either one or three spins depending on the settings configured by staff. Spin power is displayed on a meter at the bottom of the screen: if the spin is too weak, the player must spin again; otherwise, the words "WATCH WHEEL" appear with two arrows pointing up. After the Wheel stops, the player is shown the value and a keyboard appears to choose a letter (although only letters that appear in the puzzle can be chosen). If the mode only allows one spin, the player chooses three letters; otherwise, the player spins three times, once for each letter. When a letter is chosen, all instances are revealed as a model walks across. Vowels are treated in the same fashion as consonants and will not cost the player if chosen. The player receives the value of the spin in tickets for each instance of the associated letter. After three letters are picked, the player must solve the puzzle. Depending on how much of the puzzle is already revealed, a bonus is awarded for a correct solve. When solving, if a wrong letter is typed, the player is buzzed and the puzzle is revealed. Even if the puzzle is not solved, the player still wins the tickets earned from guessing letters. Like its TV counterpart, the Wheel has 24 wedges. There are multiple different layouts that can be used, all of which have different payouts. Each layout has an assigned cost required for playing the game. On the default layout, which assigns the game a cost of $1.00 for regular play, normal ticket values range from 2-10. There are also four "special" wedges, all located 90 degrees apart and split into thirds like the show's Million-Dollar Wedge. The outer two sections are white and only worth one ticket on all layouts (two at Dave & Buster's locations as tickets are distrubuted by two, thus not allowing odd-numbered payouts). The middle section is gold and is worth 20, 50, or 200 tickets. The Wheel layout with the highest payout assigns the game a cost of $3 for regular play. Normal ticket values range from 4-20 and the three top values are 100, 250, and 500. Though the Wheel used in this game has no penalty wedges, the earliest known prototype of the game used four Bankrupts (plus two on the outer sections of the top ticket value instead of 1-ticket spaces) and two Lose A Turns (displayed on the "Spin" knob only on the earliest known playable demo {displayed at the 2010 European Amusement and Gaming Expo}, whose in-game Wheel replaced these with white 1-ticket spaces). 2012 A new model of the machine was released in 2012, which has a more compact design but retains the Season 27 motif and the option for the stool. While there are no gameplay changes, the biggest difference is that there is no longer a physical Wheel; rather, a computerized Wheel is displayed on the monitor, which is now larger, stands vertically, and is no longer touch-sensitive. Instead, players now scroll through options and letters using the knob (now referred to as a dial) and select with a large blue button. Placed in numerous areas is a single, altered version of the current Wheel layout, albeit with half the template (going clockwise, from the green $600 to the pink $900) used twice; as a result, no special spaces are present while one each of the green $300 and pink $900 are replaced by a purple $600 and pink $450, respectively. In place of the former touch screen is a lit outline of the two-row logo. THQ (2010, 2012) Released a version for the Wii and Nintendo DS on November 2, 2010. It is not only the first version to use the Gift Tags and Prize Puzzles, but it is also the first console version to feature Pat and the last game with Charlie, who died the day before. The Wii avatars of Pat and Vanna were used in various openings (created by Pipeworks Software) during Season 28, in part to tie in with the then-new game. A few of these were reused as commercial bumpers in Season 29. Interestingly, the Wii version is one of only two board or video game adaptations that are known to have been offered as a prize (the other being Pressman's first Deluxe Edition): on October 22, 2010, it was part of a $5,000 prize package which included a Wii and Sony TV. 2012 A newer version is expected be released on October 16, 2012 for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 (not to be confused with the 2009 Sony Online Entertainment version), then for the Wii U sometime around November. Modeled after Season 29, this new game has the current generic set and is the first to have the ½ Car tags; however, pre-release screenshots show the Seasons 27-28 Wheel with the green $700 and the Wild Card still on that wedge, moving one of the ½ Car tags to the adjacent $450. It is not yet known if this will be the case for the game's release. Unlike the Wii and DS versions, the 2012 games have online multiplayer, online leaderboards, and downloadable content. It is not yet known what extras will be available for download, although additional puzzle "packs" are likely to at least be among them. Facebook (2010) An adaptation using a one-round plus Bonus Round structure which plays very similarly to the main game. Upon opening the game, the current opening music plays in its entirety. The Seasons 27-28 Round 1 template is used minus "extras", and the yellow $400 in place of Free Play. Four bonuses are available for purchase: Timeout, which pauses the game for up to 30 seconds; Free Play, which functions identically to the wedge; Reveal Letter, which shows every instance of a particular letter, starting with those that are on the board least; and Double Bucks, which functions identically to Double Play. The game allows up to five lost turns (not counting wrong letters from Free Play), with a 10-second timer for calling a letter. There is also a $1,000 house minimum if the player loses their fifth turn or solves for less than that amount. Bonus Rounds are played for $5,000 with a 30-second timer. Unsolved bonus puzzles may be submitted to a friend, which awards $2,500 to both the friend and the original player if solved. Every $150,000 earned increases the level and awards 75 Wheel Gold. For some reason, Bankrupts are exceedingly rare, and it seems that the Wheel is programmed not to hit Lose A Turn unless a wrong letter has been called. Returning every day earns an episode, an amount of gold (10 for one day, 20 for two days in a row, and 30 for three or more), and two spins of the Spin & Win, which involves spinning the Bonus Wheel to win a prize (either an episode, a bonus, or a random amount of Wheel Gold). Wheel Gold may be used to buy more episodes and/or bonuses, which can also be purchased with Facebook Credits. Daily bonuses for players (usually a free episode or amount of gold) are also posted on the game's wall. Originally, money earned in-game could be used to purchase items in "collections" (individual wedges, letters, outfits, etc.). Each collection was unlocked upon completing five levels of the game, with a Wheel Gold bonus for purchasing an entire collection. There were five sets of collections: bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and diamond. Also, the amount of money needed to level up was made increasingly higher with each level. The collections were retired, and the level-up amount fixed at $150,000, in May 2011 as a means of making the game easier. Both this version and the Wii/DS ones use the categories Book Title and Classic Movies, neither of which are on the actual show. They also refer to TV Title as TV Show Title, albeit inconsistently. Canceled Versions While a great many versions were released, several were not. Unless otherwise noted, no prototypes are known to exist, although the Admins invite anything saying otherwise. The Great Game Company (1983) "We've Got The Great Game Ideas" While the first Wheel video game was released in 1986, it was not the first attempt. In September 1982, one was touted for the Atari 2600 (a console offered at times on the show) and Mattel Intellivision alongside Family Feud, Jeopardy!, The Joker's Wild, Password Plus, The Price Is Right, and Tic-Tac-Dough. Two of these were scheduled to appear at the New York City Toy Fair in March 1983, with Michael Sisson in charge of graphics design and Patrick McBride in charge of programming. The Great Game Company (GGC)'s press kit claimed that the Atari versions would be ready by Spring. It is not known whether GGC appeared at the Toy Fair, but at least Feud got far enough for a prototype, as the June 1983 issue of Video Games Magazine had an article about the company (albeit with no pictures). McBride's main concern was trying to faithfully adapt the shows with the cartridge's 8K memory; the results, according to Sisson, were "superb": "with up to 60 game rounds per cart and full use of the music, background and individual trade- marks of the particular shows. For instance, Family Feud ... begins with an opening screen featuring the show's logo lights and an emcee walking out and planting a big KISS on the TV screen. The next screen offers a topic, say "Dangerous Fish," and the first player or team to hit the fire button of the joystick gets control of the board. Seven answers are displayed on the screen, with only the first letter of each revealed. The object is to find the three most popular answers on the board by moving a cursor, via joystick, to your guess within three seconds." Goodson-Todman was directly involved in the Feud game's development, and it is very likely that Barry-Enright and Merv Griffin did the same with their properties. The packaging was simple but distinctive, with the show's logo in gold on a "silver black" background; indeed, this ad from GGC's press kit shows all seven logos in this manner, albeit overlapping (the Jeopardy logo is an odd "interim" style used from about 1979-84, usually accompanied by a set of three question marks). Despite this progress, the company became a victim of what has become known as "The Great Video Game Crash of 1983", the result of an overabundance of game makers and consoles with little in the way of quality control, distinction between consoles, or third-party assistance to consumers as to what was good or bad – many game makers, including GGC, shut down as stores relegated games, consoles, and accessories to the clearance section in an attempt to remove inventory. IJE, which owned GGC, retained the rights and licensed them to Sharedata in 1986. The resulting success prompted IJE to try publishing game show titles again, resulting in a name change...to GameTek. Philips Interactive Media (1993) Wheel was planned for the CD-i alongside Jeopardy!, Name That Tune, The Joker's Wild, The Joker's Wild Jr., and Lingo. All were released except Wheel, although Lingo was exclusive to European territories. Charlie handled announcing duties on Jeopardy! (hosted by Alex Trebek) and both Joker games (hosted by Wink Martindale and Marc Summers, respectively). Tune, based on an unsold Peter Allen pilot, was hosted by Bob Goen. GameTek (1996) Adaptations were planned for the Sega Saturn and Panasonic 3DO to be released October 1, but this ended up being pushed back; they were announced to be "coming soon" by Charlie at the end of at least the December 18 episode, but no traces of either version appear to exist. A comment on gaming blog Joystiq claimed to have done Quality Assurance for Wheel, Jeopardy!, and Family Feud (the last of which was released for 3DO). Based on the timeframe, they would have likely been the only iterations to use the 1995-97 puzzle board and may have used Double Play as well. The timeframe also suggests that GameTek's dwindling resources resulted in their cancellation, although this was not the first time the company scrapped a title (NES versions of (Talking) Super Password and The Price Is Right were planned for release circa 1989). Tiger Electronics (2004) Teamed with VEIL Wireless Technologies to make Wheel of Fortune Live Play, which let viewers play along with the show much like the 1988 Mattel game. While a "LivePlay" logo appeared during the intro of the Season 22 premiere, the game was never released due to technical issues. A single unit was sold on eBay in December 2006, although it strangely had a Parker Brothers logo and was packaged, meaning the odds of it being a prototype are small but still existent. Even so, the fact that it was packaged raises the possibility that a very small number of units had been released in the United States. It is not known if the prototype is compatible with the Season 22 premiere. MGA Entertainment (2008) Acquired the rights to make DVD games of Wheel and Jeopardy! in 2006. Jeopardy! was released in Spring 2007, with Wheel planned as a follow-up for early 2008; Wheel was shelved after the CGI set was completed, but before programming began, due to "numerous converging factors". The CGI set can be seen here, under "Directing". Standalone discs with additional content were also planned for both games, although the Jeopardy! ones were never released. Sony Online Entertainment (2010) Platinum Edition was slated for release in January 2010 and was available for pre-order at various online retailers (including Amazon). In the end, however, neither the game nor any screenshots were released, leaving the box art (right) as the only evidence of its existence. 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